As you pass through the hill station of Wagamon, you are stopped at a green check-post and women clad in green collect plastic from your vehicle. There are five such green check-posts manned by
members of the green army (Haritha Karma Sena) under the Elappara grama panchayat with the aim of making Wagamon plastic-free. Dumping plastic in the area is banned and those violating it is fined.
Sindhu, a member of the green army manning the check-post on the main road connecting Upputhara and Wagamon, said that the check-post was
manned 24-hours and 30 members took turns for it. “The green check-posts were erected two months ago as part of the efforts launched over a year ago to make Wagamon free of plastic waste,” she said.
According to Haritha Keralam Mission district coordinator G.S. Madhu, the project was being implemented in Wagamon in view of its importance as a hill station and the need for protecting its ecological sensitivity.
“A campaign was launched against plastic littering initially and then waste bins were set up at main junctions. Finally, the green check-posts were set up,” he said adding that this could be emulated in other tourism destinations in the State.
The user fee charged from the travellers is used for maintaining the check-posts and providing salary to the green army members. Sindhu said that since the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a considerable drop in the number of travellers. However, for the past few days, it was picking up.
Five in all
The five green-check posts are at Elappara town, Vattappathal, Pullikkanam, Vazhikkadavu and Chemmannu.
Mr. Madhu said the project, named ‘Vazhikatan Wagamon’ aimed at making the hill destination a green corridor.
During a visit, Haritha Keralam Mission executive vice-chairperson T.N. Seema and team found
that most parts of Wagamon were littered with waste, including plastic. Then a meeting was convened with the support of the District Collector and it was decided to erect green check-posts there.
Bottle booths
In addition, there were bottle booths at Upputhara, Elappara, Wagamon town, Wagamon Tea Junction, Pullikkanam, Mottakkunnu, Parking Ground
and Kochu Karuntharuvi. Tourists could deposit their plastic waste in these bottle booths, he added.
It was now a new experience for those visiting Wagamon as the verdant hills are retaining their beauty. The famous Pine Valley and Mottakunnu are literally litter-free.
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